One piece button southeastern SC

[Wrecker58]

Hello tnetters,

This one piece button with the number 3 unexpectedly popped out the ground on a dig for plantation relics this past week. The presence of union soldiers are definitely amongst this soils history; as well as the family who built their plantation here in late 18th century. A simple bottle dig had become a tad bit better when my minelab ctx3030 came out the truck Late 18th century-mid 19th century history is littered amongst the sea islands and the property we purchased may be some of the last for us to search through with this hot summer to come. Thanks for looking and ALL comments are appreciated.

 

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[CC Hunter]

This convex one-piece brass button, featuring an Arabic numeral "3" is not from any American military force that I am aware of. The style here is consistent with 1830's-1850's manufacture. My instinct is that this is European and may date to the Crimean War period. I've seen a few buttons of similar style from that era. The earlier French buttons dating to the late 18th Century, American Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, and early 19th Century, generally have a "bird cage" style shank, which is much different than the simple loop shank as we see here. I believe the later French buttons went to a loop shank though. France, England, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and their allies, fought the Russian Empire during the Crimean conflict during the 1850's. This had a great influence on our arms, uniforms, and battle tactics during the American Civil War.

CC Hunter

 

[Dug]

3rd Regiment of Foot (the buffs) Arrived Charleston SC June 3, 1781. Wouldn't surprise me if you have an unlisted version of an enlisted button. Check out Don Troiani's "Insignia of Independence".

Wrecker you are just killing it with some of your finds! Keep it up!

 

[CC Hunter]

3rd Regiment of Foot (the buffs) Arrived Charleston SC June 3, 1781. Wouldn't surprise me if you have an unlisted version of an enlisted button. Check out Don Troiani's "Insignia of Independence".

Wrecker you are just killing it with some of your finds! Keep it up!

The vast majority of American Continental, British Loyalist, and British Regulars, wore uniforms adorned with cast pewter buttons. Furthermore, the style of the era was for flat-faced buttons, rather than domed (convex) as we see here. So, even in the case of brass buttons, the shape will be flat, or at the best ever so slightly domed. This button style posted here with a high convex shape is entirely 19th Century, and I will venture generally within the first half at that. Having dug and seen a good number of Rev War buttons over the years, I can assure you none are similar to this example. Occasionally we see some use of the convex one-piece buttons by a few smaller less industrialized countries even into the later 19th Century or early 20th Century.

CC Hunter

 

[CC Hunter]

For the moment, I'm leaning towards the possibility that this is a Russian regimental button from the mid-19th Century. British military buttons of the period generally depicted a crown in the design along with the regimental number. French buttons for many decades have had the number enclosed within a semi-circular design detail with a flourish at each end (I know there is a name for this detail, yet at this time my mind is drawing a blank on that).

Being that this button is simply a large number only, narrows the field down a bit.

Here is a great link to Crimean War regiments and buttons of the Russian forces:

http://fort1854.narod.ru/variant_angl/russia22.html

CC Hunter

 

[CC Hunter]

A closer study of details on the Russian regimental buttons, brought to my attention that there is generally a period (.) after the numeral. Due to the lighting and angle of the photo above, I'm not able to discern if a period is in fact present on this specimen. The style of Arabic numeral 3 though, is a very close match when compared with the other numeral 3's on these Russian buttons. If a period is indeed present, then I believe we can assign identification to this button.

P.S. Regarding Rev War buttons, two of my friends have recovered 3rd Foot Guards (Scots Guards) buttons in the Charleston area. These are much different in design and material, being cast pewter with an iron shank. The button in question is certainly later period, dating to the 19th Century.

CC Hunter

 

[Dug]

 

[Iron Patch]

With the main suspects being out, maybe Spain. I've seen this style of 3 being sold with other Spanish artifacts... but many other European buttons could show up there as well.

Definitely not a 3rd Buffs. I've actually owned a nice one of those at one time, as well as many 3rd Guards.

 

[DCMatt]

Is/was it painted black? Or is that patina?

DCMatt

 

[CC Hunter]

Dug,

Your enthusiasm for assisting in identification is quite noble. However, I assure you this high convex one-piece brass button is not 18th Century! As prior mentioned, this is a later manufacturing style. The examples you are showing in Troiani's reference are flat buttons (not domed), the shanks are either integrally cast brass and drilled, or an iron wire shank. The braised or soldered brass wire shank on brass one-piece convex buttons can generally be attrubuted to the next century in most all cases.

Ironpatch is also very well versed in Rev War buttons!!!

CC Hunter

 

[Dug]

Dug,

Your enthusiasm for assisting in identification is quite noble. However, I assure you this high convex one-piece brass button is not 18th Century! As prior mentioned, this is a later manufacturing style. The examples you are showing in Troiani's reference are flat buttons (not domed), the shanks are either integrally cast brass and drilled, or an iron wire shank. The braised or soldered brass wire shank on brass one-piece convex buttons can generally be attrubuted to the next century in most all cases.

Ironpatch is also very well versed in Rev War buttons!!!

CC Hunter

No foul. Just thought I saw some similarities in design.

I look up to you, Iron Patch and Cannonballguy and many others for your widsom and experience here in this forum.

This dog is never too old to learn.

 

[CC Hunter]

Iron Patch (just realized I morphed that into one name earlier ) is in fact the "original" CC!

A decade or so ago, people were constantly confusing the two CC"s on online metal detecting forums. To hopefully clarify a bit, I became "CC Hunter", and yet there were still those that thought we were one in the shame. Now I'm the one confusing Iron Patch and Ironman!

The 3rd Foot Guards button actually belongs to Ironman. All the "Iron" fellows are first-rate and very knowledgeable!!

CC Hunter

 

[SCDigginWithAK]

Hey wrecker I'm in SC too and love digging in The charleston, edisto island, and Adams run area. Do you know Addam Coe? He metal detects down there all the time. He actually takes people out on trips to metal detect the area found many good things with him. If you haven't check out Addams-artifacts.net. Sorry if I sounded like I was trying to sell something. He also might know what that is.once again not trying to "sell" something just trying to let you know of a cool business. good luck digging down there

 

[Iron Patch]

Iron Patch (just realized I morphed that into one name earlier ) is in fact the "original" CC!

A decade or so ago, people were constantly confusing the two CC"s on online metal detecting forums. To hopefully clarify a bit, I became "CC Hunter", and yet there were still those that thought we were one in the shame. Now I'm the one confusing Iron Patch and Ironman!

The 3rd Foot Guards button actually belongs to Ironman. All the "Iron" fellows are first-rate and very knowledgeable!!

CC Hunter

Yes, is about 10 years since you started to go by CC Hunter. Scary! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I seen another user on here recently posting by almost the exact same handle... and if that's right that guy is probably going to wonder why he's getting asked so many difficult questions.



Edit: Here is a post from that user.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting/327715-lost-tungsten-wedding-ring-garret-pro.html